Maryland softball first baseman Sydney Lewis entered the transfer portal on Sunday, she told The Diamondback.
Lewis started all 49 games at first base for Maryland this season, and was the Terps’ top power hitter. The junior batted .310 and hit a career-high 10 home runs this year.
The move comes after Maryland finished with its worst conference record since joining the Big Ten. The Terps ended conference play 3-19, missing postseason play for the first time in Lewis’ career.
Lewis is the first Terp to enter the portal and leaves with a year of eligibility.
“I’ve always wanted to be a part of a winning culture, and we just don’t have that culture right now,” Lewis told The Diamondback. “I wanted to be a part of it, but I didn’t realize the longevity of how long it’s going to take, and I just frankly don’t have the time left.”
[Maryland softball still lacks direction after 2 years under Lauren Karn]
Lewis originally committed to Maryland under former head coach Mark Montgomery, who left the program in 2023. In two seasons under coach Lauren Karn, the Terps have suffered a significant regression.
“There’s just so much work to be done, and I fully entrust it with Coach Lauren and her staff,” Lewis said. “It just keeps going back to ‘I don’t have time to help build it.”
The first baseman’s move is a significant blow to Karn’s roster entering her third season. Lewis helped Maryland’s program maintain its heart throughout the tough 2025 season, The Diamondback reported.
Lewis led the Terps’ RBI in the past two seasons, tallying 95 in her career. The three-year offensive standout was Maryland’s designated hitter in her sophomore season before she took over the starting first base spot this season.
The Texas native finished the 2025 season with career bests in batting average, hits and slugging percentage.
“I know that I want to go deeper,” Lewis said. “Making it as far as I can in the postseason, and also being a part of that journey, I am going to go somewhere and make an impact.”
